The Public Opinion Soapbox

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

In regards to this letter concerning downtown development, I also had a response that was specifically to this comment:

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1777 Location: shippensburg

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1777 Location: shippensburg

side bar #2....from the cburg mall thread where i mentioned that the down town "used to be" booming and i was rebuked (falsely as they obv. didn't know the cburg in it's 'heyday') so i had my mom make a list of stores she remembered from roughly the mid-50s to 70s....feel free to add anyone out there who may remember more....

Here's a list of stores:

Christian Light, Record City, Thompsons, Arlenes, Warren's Shoe Store, Huntsberry's Shoe Store, Glicks Shoe Store, McCrory's, Newberry's, Woolworth's, Duffield's Music Store, Eyerly's, Penney's, Mont. Ward's, White Shield Drug Store, Barton's Cookie Jar, Endicott Johnson Shoe Store, Uptown Sales, Tobey's, Williams, Ray Hays, Art Center, Sears, Joe the Motorist, Western Auto, Bower's Jewelry, House of Gems, P. Nicklas, Harmons, Palmer's on the Square, and various eating places.

(just sitting here i also thought of Wogans, that Texas Hot Dog restaurant, The Little Shop...i'm sure there are tons more....)

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

It sounds like mostly shoe and clothing stores; you won't find many of those in any downtown area because downtowns typically evolve into more of an entertainment venue with shopping reserved mainly for boutiques and specialty stores. Of course it was booming in the 50's - 70's, because no one around here ever left. Everything you needed was in the downtown, and it had to be, because no one was going anywhere else.

I know a lot of people are annoyed it's no longer like this, but it isn't really like this anywhere. Most downtowns crumbled in the 80's, much as I'm sure C-Burg did. But most also bounced back in the 90's... something Chambersburg missed out on.

So I have no doubt that downtown was "booming" (during normal, daylight hours) 40 or even 50 years ago... but the problem is that the stores, and the people have refused to move on and catch up with the times.

draven · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Coppy, you're exactly right. The people and storefronts have failed to adapt with the times.

Many of the dwindling businesses have gone by the wayside since you can find the same products and services elsewhere, with more accessibility and variety, I might add.

Specialty shops and chic restaurants are what brings people downtown. Frederick is a fine, local example. The county has heaps of retail shopping and restaurants, but downtown Frederick is as busy as ever with its shopping and eating. The best restaurants in Frederick are found downtown.

Hagerstown is another example. While on the surface it looks like there are a few things happening, there is actually a WHOLE LOT going on behind the scenes. There are some specialty shops that make a killing like Carole and Co. and Alter Ego, as well as the women's apparel stores (which offer exclusive clothing). Restaurants are starting to open up and there are more on the way, along with a new playhouse and another live event venue.

There are some folks in Chambersburg trying really hard to make some things happen. New businesses, restaurants and live events are key. Filling out the 2nd and 3rd floor spaces with other businesses or residential tenants is very important too though. Filling those spaces just brings more people downtown. Parking may be an issue; Hagerstown foresaw this and built a new parking deck in the Arts & Entertainment district. There is another parking deck being planned further up W Washington St, I believe.

At any rate, I see Chambersburg at where Hagerstown was 2-3 years ago, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. People are anxious to make something happen, and its only a matter of time before things start to fall into place.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

draven · Joined: 08 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Hagerstown had the same problem. (I live in Hagerstown, work in downtown Chambersburg)

Sooner or later those people either get phased out or they start to see the inevitability of change and they too change. Penny Nigh, one of the Hagerstown city council members, has always been against change and growth. She has pretty much sealed her fate when the next elections come around because residents and business owners have had enough. No one wants a scuzzy, rundown downtown.

What I have seen is that when you try to get a large group of people together on something like this, it will usually fail. There are too many opinions and ideas that float around and this just tends to make things harder to push through. It is up to people on an individual or small scale effort to do this. Once those people get something in motion other folks will fall in line behind them whether they are future business owners, residents, shoppers, etc and downtown will gain more momentum.

A friend of mine owns several buildings downtown Hagerstown and a restaurant. He went it alone, battled the city every step of the way, and now with him having lead the charge, so to speak, we have seen new shops open up and people become excited again about downtown. There are some BIG things coming there very soon... stuff I never would have thought possible a few years ago.

I work for a firm that is working on some key revitalization projects in Chambersburg (and Hagerstown), and there are enough people on board to make some things happen. It's just going to take time, optimism... and a lot of drinks after hours. Wink

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

Both the optimism, and drinks, sound pretty good to me. I'd love to see the downtown revitalized and I'd pledge my support toward any cause that facilitates it.

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1777 Location: shippensburg

lynnosler · Joined: 08 Dec 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Chambersburg, PA

Born and raised... I love it here, but hate that people won't "change". I am one of the few who are all FOR change, but I am of the younger generation, and am much more eager to get with this century. So not ALL of us don't like change, just the elders.

Bobo · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 173 Location: Chambersburg

cookieclaygirl · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1777 Location: shippensburg

i like the idea of the 'old' movies...i just don't like the times they play them (sunday afternoon? ugh)....sat. eve or fri. eve if nothing's going on there'd be nice....the carlisle theatre does their movies thursday, friday, sat and sun for matinees. more options. indy movies would be nice as well....some variety.

Coppy · Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 2251 Location: Chambersburg

Yes, I shouldn't have used the term "gutted" in the literal sense. I think that what I meant to say was that, more than anything, the interior needs a change of venue rather than a change of brick and mortar.

Yes, if the Capitol Theater became more like Gettysburg's Majestic or the Carlisle Theater, I would be far more inclined to patronize it. My guess is that the owners are afraid of alienating their consistent, yet aged, audience. Why not do both?

If the theater here showed Indie and art-house films, even on second run, it would do business. I really think it would. I would go at least. Maybe I'm way off, maybe there isn't an audience here for that sort of thing. It works in Carlisle, but as someone pointed out, despite being smaller than Chambersburg, there's a lot more money running through it.

Also, would the Capital Theater dare show an R-rated film? That's a good question; what if they receive funding from prudish citizens who demand that they show awful, senior-citizen shows and films for fear of pulling their funding. I don't know, but I'm sure there are factors here we don't know about. It's a shame that creativity can still be blocked from our public, cultural places.

As a result, the Capital theater doesn't encourage a more-cultured community, but may actually stifle it.

Mavis · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 73

Coppy, you're making a lot of stereotypical assumptions about older people!

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 2720 Location: Chambersburg

Make him go pick a switch off the tree!
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